The young adult's guide to Baltimore

Tag: preakness stakes

Everyone’s favorite leg of the Triple Crown comes to Baltimore on Saturday! Okay, maybe it’s not the classiest leg or the most meaningful, but Preakness has it’s place in the hearts of Baltimoreans. Whether you’re planning on going or planning to watch from home – we’ve got some tips for you to have a perfect Preakness!

Attending:

Get there early to claim your spot – infield is general admission so if you’re there for the music: The Chainsmokers and Fetty Wap, get there early and set up shop near the stage.

Mug Club is not worth it – maybe they’ve ironed out the kinks since I attended a couple years ago, but back then Mug Club lines were long all day, including the initial line you have to wait in to pick up your mug. Since beers are only $6 (or $3 in the Beer Garden) I didn’t find the extra $20 for Mug Club tickets to be worth it. Especially when we ended up buying other drinks just to get us through that first line.

Pack a lunch – save money by bringing in your own food – in a plastic bag or clear, see through container. Use the money you saved to buy drinks. Done and done.

Arrange transportation: uber, party bus, ride from your mom – by the end of the day you’ll likely be too inebriated and exhausted to drive home. Be safe, plan ahead. If you do drive, have a DD (sorry pregnant friend) and park in Lot 4 which is the only lot where you can tailgate.

Don’t expect to see the race – if you’re in the infield, you’ll move to stand near the track and you’ll see the horses thundering past for a few seconds. It’s awesome, but it’s not the same as seeing the whole race. See that blurry pic down there – that’s what it’s like!

Watching from home:

Dress for the occasion – it’s all about the hat! You’re not going to see a lot of fancy hats at the sloppy infield fest, but you’re welcome to class it up at home. We wore these hats at a recent birthday party and they were found at Party City for only $6.

Snacks are required – on Derby day we had a spread of spinach artichoke dip and veggies, a cheese tray + pimento cheese dip with butterscotch haystacks for dessert <– such an easy recipe and keeps with the horse theme!

Place your bets! Even if you’re not going to Pimlico, you can still bet on the race – there is off track betting at the Horseshoe where you can make your wager the day of the race. Or, run a Preakness pool at home – everyone can throw in $5 and picks a horse out of a hat. That way everyone is on an even playing field and the winner gets the pot.

So, whether you’re going to the race or watching from home make sure you have a blast! And cross your fingers for no rain on race day!